Roundtable Discussion on “Gaza and International Order: Diplomatic Challenges”
On 6 August 2024, the Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations (IDFR) held a roundtable discussion entitled “Gaza and International Order: Diplomatic Challenges”. The event was held to discuss the latest developments of the ongoing crisis in Gaza, with the hopes of assessing the current state of diplomatic processes at the international level and thus strengthening Malaysia’s role in fostering peaceful relations within the international community.
The event was organized by the Centre of Political Studies and Economic Diplomacy (PSED) and was attended by guests from various think tanks, NGOs, government agencies and members of the academia. The event featured Dr Hisham A. (H.A.) Hellyer, Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies – the world’s oldest think tank – and Miss Lubna Sheikh Ghazali, Legal Services & Solutions Manager at Asylum Access Malaysia (AAM) as the speaker and discussant respectively. Dr Murni Wan Mohd Nor, Expert Researcher here at IDFR was the moderator for the day’s event.
The discussion began with Dr Hellyer describing the current situation in Gaza. He highlighted the tragic loss of Palestinian lives, and the glaring dehumanisation brought on by Israel and its allies, which highlighted the sad reality that Palestinian lives are valued differently compared to Israeli lives. This supposed double standard is evident when considering the general fanfare surrounding calls for an arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin, as opposed by the condemnation by the US when the same is called for against Israeli officials linked to the ongoing crisis. Dr Hellyer’s session ended with a brief note on how settler activity in the West bank is still ongoing even after 7 October 2023, and that the devastation in Gaza may initiate a wave of settler activity there in other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
For Ms. Lubna Sheikh Ghazali’s session, she mostly focused on international law, the implications of current legal developments regarding Gaza and Palestine at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). She began by bringing up the ongoing request for an arrest warrant against Israeli officials by the current ICC prosecutor. Additionally, she highlighted the positive developments reflected in the diplomatic process, such as the countries that have withdrawn diplomats and recalled ambassadors, as well as cut off ties with Israel over the crisis in Gaza—which indicates the rising international support for the Palestinian people and the acknowledgement of wrongdoing on the side of Israel.
In sum, the event managed to shed light on the current events surrounding the current crisis in Gaza and identified the factors which threaten to halt any chance of peace between the two parties. Special attention was given to international law, both in terms of how it has been undermined, as well as how it can be utilised in order to finally put an end to the deadly conflict.
The event then proceeded to the Q&A session. Participants from diverse backgrounds asked critical questions and generated interesting discussions. The event ended with a group photo of the guest speakers with all the participants.
